Here’s a (purposefully) short list of renovations sellers should focus on.
If you’re thinking about renovating your home with the goal of selling it, then you should focus only on the following three areas of your home:
1. The kitchen. Make sure you have granite countertops, stainless steel appliances if possible, and lighting that gives the space a bright, open feeling. That means replacing older fixtures with recessed lights, which are not that expensive. Creating the right ambiance here—one that’ll sway a buyer’s decision—requires less work than you might think.
2. Master bedroom and bathroom. Again, proper lighting is critical, so make sure these areas appear bright and spacious. The granite countertops in the bathroom need to match what’s in the kitchen, so don’t try to force a totally separate theme. Also, replace older fixtures and mirrors to breathe new life into the space.
“Brass is the past; brushed nickel is the way to go right now.”
3. Fix odds and ends. If there are older ceiling fans, doorknobs, or other such fixtures (especially anything brass) elsewhere in the house, go ahead and swap them out for new ones. Brass is the past; brushed nickel is the way to go right now.
Notice this list doesn’t mention secondary bedrooms or bathrooms, or putting crown molding in every single room. Those are the things that you shouldn’t be spending your money on because you’ll see practically zero return on them—today’s buyers just don’t care. It’s okay to leave some room for buyers to undertake projects of their own, but do spend money strategically on the three areas I highlighted today.
As always, if you have questions about this or any other real estate topic, just reach out by phone or email. I’m here to help with your buying or selling needs, but I’m also happy to just be a resource for you.
